light strikes

[MarkCO]

Do use the titanium or the steel? I may need to try one of these.

The ZEV lightened/extended strikers (in steel) are the most robust and reliable ones I have used. The tip is slightly longer and it really helps with the CCI primers. I ran 250 rounds non-stop last night in a G34 I was working on that had about 1 light strike in 20 with CCI and a new 4# spring. I even used a striker spring with 12,000 rounds on it and it still ran for 50 more rounds. Sean Gaines at PowerFactor Shooting carries them and uses these as well: http://www.powerfactorshooting.com/product_p/glockworx-skeletonized-striker.htm

He is out of stock, but I have some on order from him. If you are going to spend money on a lightened striker, this is the way to go.

[Duane Thomas]

Seriously though. It looks like the bad combo is a light spring and a STOCK striker if I am reading things right.

Not in my experience. Though admittedly there are a lot of people in the world who've had different experiences. For me, the only misfire I've ever had with Federal primers occurred when I replaced the stock firing pin that had served me faithfully for tens of thousands of rounds with an aftermarket lightened unit. Of COURSE this had to occur during a match. Reinstalled the stock firing pin and I've been perking merrily along again ever since.

[MarkCO]

Seriously though. It looks like the bad combo is a light spring and a STOCK striker if I am reading things right.

...combined with CCI primers. Yes you are generally correct. If you take out any of the three: CCI, stock striker, RP striker spring, you get back to 100% (provided your channel is clean and clear) in most cases.

[Rob D]

Do use the titanium or the steel? I may need to try one of these.

I use the steel one. I believe the titanium ones will wear a little faster. I have the steel one in both my 34 and 35 and they both run great. I started off with modified stock strikers and went with the LS product after breaking them.

I get 100% ignition with CCI, Winchester, and Federal primers, but I run CCI 90% of the time. . Haven't had a light strike since I went to this setup, except for with a case of poorly mad wolf primers(not saying all of them are like this, I just got a bad batch).

Edited December 2, 2010 by Rob D

[ck1]

So... been watching this thread with much interest, truth be told I've practically got the CC out and am ready to order up a $60-90 lightened striker for my Glock to shave that extra pound off my trigger's pull weight.

Except, I don't care about the $60-90 for the lightened striker, I care about light strikes ruining a fine saturday and thus far there doesn't seem to be a real consensus on this... Seems "reduced power striker-spring + Federal Primers = 100% reliability (Federal's ONLY mind you)", but thus far the question of whether " reduced power striker-spring + lightened striker = 100% reliability (with ALL/ANY primers)" still seems sketchy... Joe D. thinks so (and is using CCI's regularly), JBP55 thinks so (at 7,500rds and counting), and MarkCO sort of thinks so (said to avoid CCI's when running a RPSS on page 1), and there are a couple others - so after 3 pages we've got roughly 2.5-3 guys voting full reliability with all/any primers running RPSS's + lightened strikers compared to (just guessing) hundreds of threads/posts out there of light strikes occurring in Glocks when running RPSS's and primers other than Federal's.

So long story short I want to give it a whirl (fully knowing I may regret it, as with my luck there will definitely be no light strikes until I'm shooting a match), but someone tell me this, why aren't there more guys chiming in that the "RPSS + lightened striker = GTG", as with all things Glock there should be more than a few examples yielding positive results and if it was really a GTG practice wouldn't it be ubiquitous by now? I don't reload and end up shooting A LOT of CCI primers (Wallymart Federal Champion), and if this is the way, I'm in, that said I'd rather just spend the $60-90 on some more ammo than just finding out the hard way that this just has more to do with luck than nuts and bolts reality... Thinking the only way to find out is to just give it a try, but I'd rather just skip it if it requires the stars to be aligned just so (or to reload using Federals), and will only distract me from just working on the Indian instead of the arrow. Thinking I'll just give it a try and see what happens...

TIA.

Edited December 4, 2010 by ck1

[EkuJustice]

Shot a Jager striker with the extended tip in both the 34 and 24 and have never had a problem. FP spring is replaced probibally every 3k as just cheap insurance(never had a problem with it though). I do not reload for these guns and they have had a steady diet of champion, blazer and even some of the tula junk and have never had one fail to go off

[MarkCO]

So long story short I want to give it a whirl (fully knowing I may regret it, as with my luck there will definitely be no light strikes until I'm shooting a match), but someone tell me this, why aren't there more guys chiming in that the "RPSS + lightened striker = GTG", as with all things Glock there should be more than a few examples yielding positive results and if it was really a GTG practice wouldn't it be ubiquitous by now?

Because it depends on the striker. The ZEV are the only ones I would consider to have an extended tip. I have never had a light strike with a ZEV lightened striker, RP spring and CCI or Win primers. I won't use Federal so I can't comment there. Some of the other lightened strikers, the same can not be said.

Then again, some people don't clean their striker channels which has a greater detrimental affect on striker velocity and therefore ignition reliability is reduced. I've probably had 6 or 7 guys ask me to look at their Glocks with RP striker springs and light strikers that were have ignition problems. One had gouges in the spring cups that were riding on the striker. Would have gone away eventually, but he was shooting a major match and had just had a DNF on a stage. Most of them just had dirty striker channels and old springs. I just ran my G35, with a 2# trigger pull, for 7500 rounds with NO cleaning and no spring replacement and it ran 100%. But, every primer and case was checked before matches as well. Fill the striker channel with oil, and you are asking for trouble.

[Rob D]

So long story short I want to give it a whirl (fully knowing I may regret it, as with my luck there will definitely be no light strikes until I'm shooting a match), but someone tell me this, why aren't there more guys chiming in that the "RPSS + lightened striker = GTG", as with all things Glock there should be more than a few examples yielding positive results and if it was really a GTG practice wouldn't it be ubiquitous by now? TIA.

The stock FP and FP spring are definitely going to provide a more robust ignition system, meaning it will set off primers in situations where a reduced power spring would give a light strike. For instance, with a little oil in the FP channel or with a primer that's not seated perfectly, but I am confident that with everything in the system working the way it should(Spring is not worn out, FP channel is clean and dry, primers are fully seated) a lightening FP with the reduced power spring will set off CCI 100% of the time.

I suspect that many of the instances that people are having light strikes with this setup are actually caused by some other failure in the system(high primer, dirty FP channel). The same guys might get 100% ignition in spite of the high primers, etc with a stock setup because the glock system is made to be extremely robust and to work even if conditions aren't perfect.

That said, if you're as anal as I am(and most competitors are) about pre-match prep, you can generally be sure of the condition of your gun and ammo, and run a less robust ignition system without worrying about light strikes. I wouldn't hesitate to order the lightened FP at all. That said, if it doesn't fix your problem, I'm sure you can sell it in the classifieds for 80-90% of what you paid for it. I might even buy it

[EkuJustice]

I also feel the trigger just feels crisper with the jager striker than it does with the stock

[Jman]

Charlie Vanek (not sure anyone here has heard of him ) built the trigger for my Open G17.

From his storefront....about the Jager striker.

"This new extremely light weight steel firing pin has been "tuned" and is available for the Grand Master Trigger Kit The lighter firing pin is designed to use with reduced power spring, plus the tip has been extended to help eliminate light primer strikes and provide increased reliability."

...the combination of Vanek's skill and Jager striker is superb.

It goes bang.

Jim

Edited December 4, 2010 by Jman

[ck1]

Ok guys, ordered up a Glockworx/ZEV striker (Jager's is on backorder), it's lightened and has an extended tip so hopefully it works out, also ordered a few Wolff 4lb reduced power striker springs, if it proves reliable I'll order a bunch more, decided I'll change 'em out about every month or so and see how it goes...

I'll report back once I've put some rounds downrange...

[Jesse Tischauser]

Ok guys, ordered up a Glockworx/ZEV striker (Jager's is on backorder), it's lightened and has an extended tip so hopefully it works out, also ordered a few Wolff 4lb reduced power striker springs, if it proves reliable I'll order a bunch more, decided I'll change 'em out about every month or so and see how it goes...

I'll report back once I've put some rounds downrange...

If I wasnt looking at 4 months of rehab (broken ankle, not sex, drugs, or alcohol:) I'd be ordering the ZEV steel striker for all 5 of my Glocks.

[Sarge]

Hmm... I guess, as somebody said early God must like me. My Vanek trigger and Jager lightened AND lengthened striker with light spring has been flawless through several thousand rounds. I only cleaned everything one time. Hell, I even quit oiling my G34 on any kind of regular basis.

[ck1]

Well, turns out a friend of mine happens to already own both the Jager lightened striker as well as the Glockworx, he reports 100% reliability while using them with Winchester SPP's as he rolls his own, since he's more of a 1911-guy he went to the reduced power striker springs in his Glocks to shoot them more easily (claims he can't hit the broad side of a barn using the heavier stock spring). Borrowed the Glockworx one which he believes is a slightly older version of the newest "V4" one I ordered (about 6 months old so a V2 or V3).

The one I ordered is en route and should be here in a day or two, but after today's shooting results looks like I might just be returning it... shooting through 300rds of wallymart Federal Champion, and while using a brand new 4lb Wolff striker spring and thoroughly cleaned striker channel I experienced about 25+ light strikes, all but 3 went off on a second try.

Here's my impression: the reduced power spring did indeed take about 1 pound or more off of my trigger pull weight which I liked, seems to allow one (or at least me) to be more "sloppy" with their pull and still not end up printing left as the lighter trigger comes straight back and breaks without pulling the gun slightly off-line while "stacking before the pop" as can happen with a heavier Glock trigger, that said, the typical Glock "snappy" reset suffers quite a bit, while certainly not lethargic, a pound or more comes off the reset strength too which IMHO is undesirable and a negative side-effect to running the RPSS. Couple other things that came to light: the 3.5 connector still feels like a 3.5 connector when using one, just lighter - meaning it's still a longer pull with a longer reset than with the heavier one's, I tend to prefer the Ghost "Ranger" connector which is an "in-between" feeling connector labeled as a 4.5 (feels lighter than a stock 5, shorter and crisper than a 3.5), going to the 4.5 Ranger connector made things more crisp but erased much of the pull-weight loss, also, I bend the trigger-spring tabs outward closer to a 90 degree bend on my Glock trigger bars to shorten them up and get rid of some of the take-up slop, IMHO makes the pull much better, but with the RPSS installed I had no choice but to decrease the bend to ensure that the trigger-safety would engage reliably every single time (which in-turn made the pull longer) due to the lack of reset "snap".

So I dunno... Thinking it's not for me. What I gained in lighter trigger-weight I lost in other trigger-feel areas, and while the newer V4 striker I have on the way may be more refined and have some advantages to the one I was trying, IMO it'll still leave too much of a question-mark for future potential for light strike headaches for me to want to train with.

Looks like I'll put the idea of running a reduced power striker spring away for the time being and the light striker money back in the piggy-bank for hopefully someday down the road when I pick up a Dillion and can just load Federal primers.

Edited December 8, 2010 by ck1

[Sarge]

The one I ordered is en route and should be here in a day or two, but after today's shooting results looks like I might just be returning it... shooting through 300rds of wallymart Federal Champion, and while using a brand new 4lb Wolff striker spring and thoroughly cleaned striker channel I experienced about 25+ light strikes, all but 3 went off on a second try.

By any chance have you changed recoil springs to a lighter one? It's a shame that first impressions usually stick with us forever as those numbers you are getting seem very odd. That is alot of light strikes.

FWIW I shot an indoor match last night. I used CCI primers and the gun ran 100%.

[ck1]

The one I ordered is en route and should be here in a day or two, but after today's shooting results looks like I might just be returning it... shooting through 300rds of wallymart Federal Champion, and while using a brand new 4lb Wolff striker spring and thoroughly cleaned striker channel I experienced about 25+ light strikes, all but 3 went off on a second try.

By any chance have you changed recoil springs to a lighter one? It's a shame that first impressions usually stick with us forever as those numbers you are getting seem very odd. That is alot of light strikes.

FWIW I shot an indoor match last night. I used CCI primers and the gun ran 100%.

I did change recoil springs... I ran a new ISMI 13 (I usually use a 15), really I was pleased with the sight tracking of the 13 more than anything.

I've heard that not all 4lb striker springs are created equal so there's a chance I could have gotten a real light one I guess...?

Might give it another try in a couple days when mine shows up, but thus far starting to think in my case it might just not be meant to be.

[Duane Thomas]

It sure wasn't meant to meant to be for me.

[usmc1974]

I never have any trouble with Federal or CCI primers. I use them in all my guns CCI work even in my cowboy guns with very light triggers/actions.

[Flexmoney]

What Sarge is suggesting is that your gun is unlocking and coming out of battery as you pull the trigger...since the recoil spring is so light.

Put your gun back to stock and see if the problem is still there. Completely stock glock parts.

[ck1]

Did some parts swapping, testing, observing, swapping, testing, etc. - it's without a doubt the reduced power striker spring throwing the wrench into the works. The brand new 13lb ISMI spring I was using is really only a hair lighter than the 15lb one I've got about 6000rds on, lock-up into battery is just fine with it (even with the stock power striker spring installed).

So in my particular case the light strikes aren't due to the recoil spring being too soft or worn out (though that might be what's going on for the OP...).

After all the swapping and testing I've come to the conclusion that if I'm going to risk sacrificing any reliability it's going to by running a 13lb recoil spring with the stock striker and spring, not going to the reduced power striker spring and lightened striker. With a fairly fresh 13lb recoil spring the chances of problems not returning to battery or getting a feed jam are extremely low even with a very dirty gun (almost not worth worrying about if I actually clean the thing), however, short of reloading and using your known-to-go-bang primers running the reduced power striker spring seems sketchy no matter which way you cut it IMHO. Truly this seems to be a YMMV sort of thing as evidenced by all the guys having good luck with the reduced striker-spring + lightened striker combo. Think in my case, having a slightly heavier trigger that's without question 100% reliable, has a better reset, and that I can still make shorter and more to my liking just works out better as a plan for me. Over time I'll notice the extra pound of trigger pull-weight less and less, and reliability remaining intact is more important to me.

I'll say this: it's been a while since I've shot with a 13lb spring in the gun after switching to a 15 (over a year) and I was really surprised how much of a difference I noticed shot-to-shot as far as sight-tracking and the gun settling down is concerned, it's a change I'm going to make so I guess my tinkering isn't totally over with.

[Rob D]

If running a RPFPS makes you even the slightest bit less confident with your equipment, skipping it is the right choice. The psychological consequences of not having 100% faith in your gun will far outweigh a couple of extra pounds on the trigger pull.

Glad you found a trigger you're happy with.

Edited December 8, 2010 by Rob D

[ck1]

If running a RPFPS makes you even the slightest bit less confident with your equipment, skipping it is the right choice. The psychological consequences of not having 100% faith in your gun will far outweigh a couple of extra pounds on the trigger pull.

Glad you found a trigger you're happy with.

Thanks.

It's funny what you said about the psychological consequences of not having a gun you know is 100%... after going on about how much I liked the 13lb recoil spring I've already pulled it out and reinstalled the ol' faithful 15, best to stick with what works.

[hal1955]

I have reduced my factory glock striker weight from 114 grains to 70 grains. I use the 4# wolff stiker sping and I still get light strikes with cci primers. I have a truckload of cci primers so I would like to make it work with cci if possible. Any suggestions?

Ok. I canned the cci primers and tried some Winchester small pistol primers. I get 100% ignition now. I compared the indentation made by the striker on both the CCI and Win. primers under a magnifying glass. It's really hard to tell the difference but I think that the Win. primer has a deeper indentation than the CCI, meaning that the CCI primer cup is harder that the Win. Your mileage may vary.

[Duane Thomas]

Ok. I canned the cci primers and tried some Winchester small pistol primers. I get 100% ignition now.

Strange how that works.

I compared the indentation made by the striker on both the CCI and Win. primers under a magnifying glass. It's really hard to tell the difference but I think that the Win. primer has a deeper indentation than the CCI, meaning that the CCI primer cup is harder that the Win. Your mileage may vary.

As the powder burns, the cartridge casing is shoved rearward hard against the breech face, pushing it and therefore the entire slide to the rear, while at the same time the firing pin is still in contact with the primer, so that pressure inside the cartridge casing, a certain amount of which flows back through the flash hole and into the primer, causes the primer cup to fire form itself around the firing pin tip. All of which is to say that how deep the firing pin strike looks on fired ammo's primers really doesn't tell you a whole lot about how hard was the firing pin hit, or how hard are the primers. The amount of pressure we're talking (tens of thousands of pounds per square inch) is sufficient to equally fire form primers of significantly different hardness.

[MarkCO]

All of which is to say that how deep the firing pin strike looks on fired ammo's primers really doesn't tell you a whole lot about how hard was the firing pin hit, or how hard are the primers. The amount of pressure we're talking (tens of thousands of pounds per square inch) is sufficient to equally fire form primers of significantly different hardness.

While I'll agree there is a slight affect when we are talking about high pressure rifle cartridges, I'm skeptical that there is any primer indentation "fire forming" for normal pistol pressure cartridges. If you have some data, or a pressure model to suport your statement, please provide it.